Twelve Disciples Of Okowa That Made His Administration Tick

Eight years of robust administration of governor Ifeanyi Okowa has come to a glorious end, with so many fulfilled promises of an agenda crested on the SMART document.

Key development initiatives the administration will be remembered for includes but not limited to; establishment of three new universities, erosion control projects within Asaba, Warri and environs, job creation through YAGEP, STEP and other employment generation initiatives, upgrade of Asaba international airport, construction and completion of Prof. Chike Edozie state secretariat, road infrastructures, health insurance scheme and relative peace and tranquillity in the state.

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However the governor was not an island all by himself. For the past eight years he assembled a team made up of seasoned politicians, administrators, professionals as well as academia that contributed in the success of the administration.

In this report, Barth Ozah chronicles the roles and activities of personalities that made Okowa’s administration tick.

*CHIEF PATRICK UKAH*

Undoubtedly Chief Patrick Ukah played a prominent role in the success of Okowa’s administration. During the governor’s first term, he was appointed the commissioner for Information, where he managed the information flow of the state government effectively; explaining every bit of the SMART agenda to the extent that it became a household name in the state.

In the second term of the administration, Chief Ukah was detailed to the Ministry of Primary and Post Primary Education. In the ministry he instituted discipline in public schools in the state, he introduced resumption test for students and sports was also promoted, amongst other positive innovations.

Two years into the second term, he was appointed as the Secretary To The State Government, SSG, where until the last days of the administration, he effectively coordinated all the Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government.

*RT. HON. SHERRIFF OBOREVWORI*

His choice as the preferred candidate during the PDP Governorship primary by the delegates and his subsequent overwhelming victory at the general elections, did not come as a surprise to Deltans.

Recall that in the history of Delta state, he became the longest serving speaker of DTHA. And at the end of six years in office, he was elected the governor of the state.

Throughout his tenure, Delta had a rancour free assembly, working hand in hand with the executive and judiciary arms of government. That governor Okowa’s administration is a success, can be attributed to the leadership of the speaker.

*DR. EMU KINGSLEY*

A Banker, Financial Consultant, Entrepreneur and Public Servant of note. Dr. Emu, was Commissioner for Economic Planning (2015-2019). He is currently the Chief Economic Adviser to Delta State Governor. He was a major policy formulator of the Okowa’s administration. A kinsman of the governor, Emu was a major interpreter of economic indices of the administration. Today, among the 36 states and FCT, Delta is fift most developed state in Nigeria, with a GDP of N6.19 trillion. Emu’s role in developing and implementing the economic blueprint of Delta State was very significant.

*CHIEF LAWRENCE OSHIEGBU*

Though he may not have held any plum position in terms of political appointments, he was, believe it or not, a leading personality in governor Okowa’s inner circle where key decisions are made. With a gentle mien like his Boss, he is always with the governor and perhaps the only man that enters the governor’s car with him to the events.

*RT. HON. FUNKEKEME SOLOMON*

He was a former ranking lawmaker in the state house of assembly and a key player in Okowa’s administration. He is probably one of the seasoned politicians, communicator and administrator, who has remained most relevant since 1999 in the state till date. The journalist who turned politician, is the Senior Political Adviser to the governor. He coordinated the political appointees and for the past three general elections he was the Delta PDP Campaign Director-General. He is abreast with the interplay and dynamics of the political configuration of the oil rich state.

*CHIEF FESTUS OCHONOGOR* ;

The history of governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration will not be written without mentioning the pivotal roles Ochonogor played. Recall that in the first term of the administration, he was the Senior Political Adviser. Apart from coordinating the political appointees he was also saddled with the onerous responsibilities of coordinating ‘focused groups’; an assignment he discharged creditably. In the second term he was appointed Commissioner for Housing, where he supervised various key projects in the housing sector. Chief Festus Ochonor is adiligent and silent worker par excellence whose exemplary service and loyalty crystalized when he was recently appointed as the Managing Director of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC.

*RT. HON. FESTUS AGAS*

A close confidant of governor Ifeanyi Okowa, he served as the Secretary to the State Government, SSG in the first term of the administration and was later appointed the Chief of Staff to the governor. He belongs to the inner circle of the governor’s caucus and at a time, opinions were that he was likely to be anointed successor to the coveted office of Governor. A gentleman to the core, he doesn’t give in to frivolity and is a very focused person. He worked in the policy domain.

*CHARLES ANIAGWU*

A seasoned journalist who turned politician. Without any iota of doubt, he handled the twin offices of the Chief Press Secretary in the first term and Commissioner for Information in the second term effectively for the Okowa’s administration. Today, that Delta is a unique brand among the committee of states in the federation, is courtesy of Aniagwu’s dexterity in the media industry. In the SMART administration, the opposition media could not hold sway or match the pace of effective media campaigns of the state machineries because of Aniagwu’s professional impacts in the media space in electronics, prints and the new media which were enormous.

*BARR. KINGSLEY ESISO*

Obviously, the success of any administration is anchored on unity, discipline and peace within the ranks and files of political chieftains, supporters and financial managers. To a large extent, there is tranquillity in the state body polity within the last eight years of the Okowa’s administration. Peace and unity doesn’t exist if there is no effective leadership managing every political interests among the party members. Esiso was up to the task. Through out the administration there was no major division within PDP or with the opposition ranks.

*CHIEF FIDELIS TILIJE*

A banker, technocrat cum politician. He was in charge of the Water Resources and Finance Ministeries in the first and second terms respectively in the famous administration. A key player of Okowa’s government for the 8 years. Since the beginning of the second term, Tilije has successfully managed the inflows and outflows of the state finances, winning many laurels for the state in the financial sector. The recent awards for SMART governor are – Excellent Performance on Fiscal Transparency and Accountability; Very Good Performances on Efficiency of Public Expenditure; Overall Performance in Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS), and Debt Sustainability all from the World Bank.

*REGINALD BOYOKO*

Without an effective civil service system, government will not deliver much. But in Delta State under Boyoko as the Head of Service, there was harmony between the workers and the government in the Okowa’s administration. Under his watch the state civil service has been repositioned for effective service delivery.

*DAME EDITH OKOWA*

There is no woman in Delta living or dead in the past eight years that has made headlines in local and national media on services to humanity more than the first lady Edith. Her impacts to the success of the administration is huge and cut across every communities. Through her O5 Initiative and other philanthropic activities, Edith was virtually in all the nooks and crannies of the state healing people through her pet project and preaching peace. Her kind gestures will continue to lingers especially those whose sights have been restored through O5 Initiative. 05 Initiative was founded by Edith in 2015, it offers free eye care services and no fewer than 53,100 people have benefited thus far.

SPADE NG